Our Town Downtown May 21st, 2015

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The local paper for Downtown wn A DENTIST GOES HOLLYWOD < 15 MINUTES, P.21

WEEK OF MAY

21-27 2015

SEAPORT BUILDINGS TO BE PARTIALLY DEMOLISHED City to tear down rear of iconic buildings on the South Street Seaport BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

The New York City Economic Development Corporation is planning to demolish portions of both the New Market Building and the Tin Building on the South Street Seaport. The agency said the “cooler areas” that are attached to the rear of both buildings, on the East River side, were deemed to be dangerous and precariously close to collapsing. Both cooler areas, which were used to store fish when the South

Street Seaport was an active market, are attached to their respective buildings and portions of both buildings will be demolished as well, said an EDC spokesperson. “In April, EDC and its structural engineers inspected both buildings and found them to be increasingly unsound, but of utmost concern to us are the cooler areas, which run along the back of both the Tin and New Market buildings,” said the EDC in an email to Our Town Downtown. “This area was determined to be in danger of imminent collapse and must be demolished.” The New Market Build-

ing, which dates back to 1939 and sits adjacent to Pier 17 at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, sits atop a parcel of land that the Howard Hughes Corporation is proposing to build a 494-foot luxury residential tower. The tower proposal has been at the center of a bitter land use dispute since late-2013 between preservationists at the Seaport and the developer. The EDC spokesperson stressed that the agency’s decision to partially demolish the building is unrelated to Howard Hughes’ interests in the area.

Our Take THE PRICE OF SUNSHINE

The front of the New Market Building. The New Market Building as seen from East River Drive. The low slung “cooler area” at the rear of the building on the water is set to be demolished by the city’s Economic Development Corporation. A similar cooler area is also set to be demolished at the nearby Tin Building.

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WALKING FOR A CAUSE NEWS AIDS walk raises millions, drawing New Yorkers from around the city BY HEATHER E. STEIN

All in a day’s walk. More than $4.8 million was raised by 30,000 walkers at this year’s annual AIDS Walk in Central Park on May 17, the country’s largest and most visible single-day event in response to the AIDS epidemic. Opening ceremony participants included the famous -Tyne Daly and David Hyde Pierce -- to the lesser-known, including Brooklyn’s Black & Gold Marching Elite. “We are encouraging children to join a cause they believe in,”

How is it that someone can build a 600-foot building in New York and not have to ask a soul for permission to put the thing up? Community Board 5 this week took the unusual step of calling for a temporary moratorium on new skyscrapers along Central Park South until the de Blasio administration can come up with some kind of zoning plan. The move, unusually aggressive for any community board, highlights the Wild West nature of development in the city at the moment. Throughout Manhattan, massive new buildings are popping up in a skyscraper race not seen in a generation. The buildings are transforming the city’s skyline and remaking its neighborhoods -- all without any input from those of us on the ground. In a report that focused on the buildings along 57th Street, Community Board 5 said it was seeking to protect citizens’ “access to sunshine,” an amenity many of us thought came free. According to a report in Capital New York, seven supertowers are underway and five more are planned in midtown. These shadows “disturb community access to sunshine in the park,” according to the community board. A spokesman for de Blasio said the mayor’s office is reviewing the report, which seeks a halt to new construction while some kind of zoning and public review plan is drawn up. Count us dubious about whether any of that will happen. But at least this community group is trying, reminding all of us that in today’s New York, nothing, not even sunshine, is guaranteed.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 Downtowner

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City Arts Top 5 Business 15 Minutes

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FOR HIM, SETTLING SMALL CLAIMS IS A BIG DEAL presided over Arbitration Man has three decades. for informal hearings about it He’s now blogging BY RICHARD KHAVKINE

is the common Arbitration Man their jurist. least folks’ hero. Or at Man has For 30 years, Arbitration court office of the civil few sat in a satellite Centre St. every building at 111 New Yorkers’ weeks and absorbed dry cleaning, burned lost accountings of fender benders, lousy paint jobs, and the like. And security deposits then he’s decided. Arbitration Man, About a year ago, so to not afwho requested anonymity started docuhe fect future proceedings, two dozen of what menting about compelling cases considers his most blog. in an eponymous about it because “I decided to write the stories but in a I was interested about it not from wanted to write from view but rather lawyer’s point of said Arbitration view,” of a lay point lawyer since 1961. Man, a practicing what’s at issue He first writes about post, renders and then, in a separatehow he arrived his decision, detailing blog the to Visitors at his conclusion. their opinions. often weigh in with get a rap going. I to “I really want whether they unreally want to know and why I did it,” I did derstood what don’t know how to he said. “Most people ... I’d like my cases the judge thinks. and also my trereflect my personalitythe law.” for mendous respect 80, went into indiMan, Arbitration suc in 1985, settling vidual practice

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MANHATTAN'S APARTMENT BOOM, > PROPERTY, P.20

2015

In Brief MORE HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESS

The effort to help small seems to businesses in the city be gathering steam. Two city councilmembers, Robert Margaret Chin and Cornegy, have introduced create legislation that wouldSmall a new “Office of the within Business Advocate” of Small the city’s Department Business Services. Chin The new post, which have up told us she’d like to would and running this year, for serve as an ombudsman city small businesses within them clear government, helping to get through the bureaucracy things done. Perhaps even more also importantly, the ombudsman and number will tally the type small business of complaints by taken in owners, the actions policy response, and somefor ways to recommendations If done well, begin to fix things. report would the ombudsman’s give us the first quantitative with taste of what’s wrong the city, an small businesses in towards important first step fixing the problem. of for deTo really make a difference, is a mere formality will have to the work process looking to complete their advocate are the chances course, velopers precinct, but rising rents, -- thanks to a find a way to tackle business’ is being done legally of after-hours projects quickly. their own hours,” which remain many While Chin “They pick out boom in the number throughout who lives on most vexing problem. said Mildred Angelo,of the Ruppert construction permits gauge what Buildings one said it’s too early tocould have the 19th floor in The Department of the city. number three years, the Houses on 92nd Street between role the advocate She Over the past on the is handing out a record work perThird avenues. permits, there, more information of Second and an ongoing all-hours number of after-hours bad thing. of after-hours work the city’s Dept. problem can’t be a said there’s with the mits granted by nearby where according to new data jumped 30 percent, This step, combinedBorough construction project noise Buildings has data provided in workers constantly make efforts by Manhattan to mediate BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS according to DOB of Informacement from trucks. President Gale Brewer offer response to a Freedom classifies transferring they want. They knows the the rent renewal process, request. The city They 6 “They do whatever signs Every New Yorker clang, tion Act go as they please. work between some early, tangible small any construction on the weekend, can come and sound: the metal-on-metal or the piercing of progress. For many have no respect.” p.m. and 7 a.m., can’t come of these that the hollow boom, issuance reverse. owners, in business moving The increased beeps of a truck has generto a correspond and you as after-hours. soon enough. variances has led at the alarm clock The surge in permits

SLEEPS, THANKS TO THE CITY THAT NEVER UCTION A BOOM IN LATE-NIGHT CONSTR NEWS

A glance it: it’s the middle can hardly believe yet construction of the night, and carries on full-tilt. your local police or You can call 311

n OurTownDowntow

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for dollars in fees ated millions of and left some resithe city agency, that the application dents convinced

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MAY 21-27,2015

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WHAT’S MAKING NEWS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD COMPTROLLER’S REPORT CITES POOR CONDITIONS IN SUBWAY City subway stations aren’t looking too good. So concludes a recent audit by the city Comptroller’s Office, which found that the New York City Transit Authority’s efforts fell short even as subway ridership at record levels. Comptroller Scott Stringer’s

office found that inadequate track cleaning made the subway beds more hospitable to rats and also increased the risk of track ďŹ res. The report, issued last week, concluded that “track cleaning efforts are hampered by the understaffing of the manual cleaners and frequent breakdownsâ€? of track-cleaning equipment. The report found that the authority fell short of its goals of cleaning station track beds

An audit by the city Comptroller’s office found that the New York City Transit Authority’s track and station cleaning and painting efforts have fallen short as ridership continues at record levels. Photo: Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Leonard Wiggins, via Flickr

once every three weeks, or 17 times a year. Cleaning records indicate that 229 out of the 276 stations, or 88 percent, were cleaned eight or fewer times during the one-year period ending June 30. And while the Transit Authority used to schedule top-to-bottom painting at subway stations every seven years, that schedule was abandoned during the 1990s ďŹ nancial crisis. The authority no longer has a ďŹ xed painting schedule for its 468 stations. Stringer’s office noted that while the city authority’s overall operating revenue increased by 34 percent between 2008 and 2013, the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s operating funds dedicated to station maintenance and cleaning fell from 6.3 percent in 2008 to 5.4 percent in 2013. In a written response to the audit report submitted to the MTA, the authority’s president, Carmen Bianco said the authority was increasing efforts and resources dedicated to cleaning the system, “with positive results.â€?

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MAYOR SIGNS LEGISLATION THAT CALLS FOR CULTURAL PLAN Mayor Bill de Blasio earlier this week signed into law cornerstone cultural legislation that aims to provide New Yorkers with increased access to cultural activities. The bill mandates the development of a cultural plan that would detail the availability and distribution of cultural activities in all ďŹ ve boroughs. The plan will also look at the relationship between available activities and the social and economic health and welfare of residents. It will also take into account housing and studio needs of artists, as well as arts education and activities in public schools, the mayor’s office said. The report will be put together by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs, which will also form and work with a citizens’ advisory committee to help guide the plan’s development and implementation. “There’s no doubt New York City is a cultural center of the world, and the arts are essential to our economy, our schools,

and our vibrancy as a city. We are committed to ensuring all New Yorkers have access to cultural activities, and this comprehensive plan will help unify our initiatives aimed at lifting up all New Yorkers through arts and culture,� de Blasio said in a statement issued by his office. Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, the chairman of the council’s Committee on Cultural Affairs and majority leader, said the legislation marked an important milestone for the “cultural vitality� of the city. “The signing of the Cultural Plan legislation will initiate the development of a comprehensive cultural plan that will lay out a blueprint for increasing access, opportunity and equity so that all New Yorkers may have meaningful engagement with culture and the arts,� Van Bramer said in the statement.

COMMUNITY BOARD SEEKS LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR 3 BUILDINGS

Committee to bring three buildings “to public hearing for urgent designation� for potential designation as landmarks, Downtown Express reported. The buildings at 33 Gold St., 315 Broadway, and 143 Chambers St. have been waiting for decades to be declared landmarks. Some of the buildings have been on LPC’s docket for decades. For instance, 33 Gold, built in 1888, has been on the docket for 38 years, while 143 Chambers has been on the agenda since 1989. The preservation committee has suggested removing all current items from its calendar to clear a massive back log of over 100 buildings. The suggestion was put on hold after an outcry from community preservation activists. When asked about the massive back log by Downtown Express, CB1 committee member Tom Goodkind cited, “gross underfunding,� of the LPC and the fact that, as a result, “they just don’t have staff.�

Community Board One urged the Landmarks Preservation

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MAY 21-27,2015

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CRIME WATCH BY JERRY DANZIG

TWO-YEAR-OLD DIES AFTER STRUCK BY FALLING DEBRIS A two-year-old girl was struck by falling debris on the Upper West Side on Sunday, and declared dead on Monday after surgeons tried for hours to save her life, The New York Times reported. The tragedy occurred on West End Avenue at 74th Street, at a retirement home known as Esplanade Luxury Senior Residences. According to the Times, a piece of decorative terra-cotta broke free from a windowsill on the eighth oor and struck Greta Greene, 2, and her grandmother, Susan Frierson, who survived. According to the Dept. of Buildings, the Times reported, the building’s 14-story facade was inspected in 2011 and declared safe. Upper West Side Councilmember Helen Rosenthal released a statement Sunday a

few hours after the incident. “Our hearts and prayers are with the victim and her family as she undergoes surgery,� said Rosenthal. “The building has been initially inspected. DOB is working on installing a protective sidewalk shed today, and the process for detailed inspections will begin right away. I am working with DOB to ensure this building is made safe as soon as possible for everyone on our streets.� The Times reported Monday that workers were seen constructing protective scaffolding on West End Avenue in front of the building. The building is owned and operated by the Scharf family, and is part of a network of luxury senior homes owned by the family in New York City and Long Island. The Scharf family released a statement regarding Greene on their website. “The entire Scharf family is heartbroken by this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Greta Greene’s family. We are fully cooperating with city emergency response agencies and the Department of Buildings to determine the cause of this horrible incident and to safeguard the public.�

JEEP SWEEP

BECKETT’S BUMMER

One unlucky motorist discovered that his SUV’s “off-road capability� apparently included disappearing from a city street. At 7 a.m. on May 12, a 57-year-old man from New Jersey parked his gray 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, worth $20,000, in front of 69 Gold St. When he returned just 15 minutes later, his vehicle was missing. There was no broken glass at the site, nor did the Jeep turn up at the tow pound or city marshal’s office. A canvass of the area proved fruitless. The Jeep sported New Jersey plates F89ALZ.

Even keeping your laptop by your side may not always guarantee its safety. At 7:20 p.m. on May 12, a 26-year-old man placed his laptop bag, which also contained his wallet, to his immediate right while he was dining at Beckett’s, located at the rear of 81 Pearl St. When he went to leave, his bag was missing. He told police he had not noticed anyone nearby acting suspiciously. A canvass of the restaurant proved negative. The items stolen included a Dell laptop valued at $1,300, a Blackberry cell phone priced at $400 and a Ralph Lauren wallet tagged at $60, along with medication, keys, a cell phone charger, laptop bag and credit cards.

STATS FOR THE WEEK Reported crimes from the 1st Precinct for May 4 to May 10

COPPER COPPED Phone companies may hate copper wire, but thieves certainly love it. At 2:45 a.m. on May 13, a 32-year-old man and a 39-year-old man were seen removing copper wire from a Con Edison job site at the front of 565 Washington St. Later that day, Vincente Trigueno and Craig McKay were found in possession of an estimated $1,000 of the stolen wire, arrested and charged with grand larceny.

CAB NABBED Usually “grabbing a cab� does not mean stealing it! Just after midnight on May 10, a 50-year-old male cabbie was standing beside his yellow 2014 Toyota Camry taxi checking his tire pressure at the southeast corner of South and Whitehall Streets when someone hopped in the cab and drove off without

Week to Date 2015 2014

Year to Date % Change

2015

2014

% Change

Murder

0

0

n/a

0

0

n/a

Rape

0

1

-100

2

5

-60

Robbery

0

0

n/a

14

17

-17.6

Felony Assault

2

3

-33.3

27

27

0

Burglary

0

2

-100

47

60

-21.7

Grand Larceny

20

16

25

330

318

3.8

Grand Larceny Auto

1

0

n/a

4

2

100

permission or authority. Police later apprehended Yorman Terrero, 20, arrested him on grand larceny auto charges.

HERO AND HARASSERS At 5:05 p.m. on May 12, a 27-year-old man observed a woman being harassed by two men at the northwest corner of Broad and Stone Streets. The 27-year-old told the other two to stop the harassment, which led to aggression. The ďŹ rst harasser shoved the man to the ground, causing the victim to strike his head on the concrete. Undeterred, the good guy then

followed the baddies west on Stone Street to 2 Broadway, at which point the man returned to Broad and Stone Streets with the second harasser when they encountered the ďŹ rst thug. The man then took a photo of both rogues using his cell phone, when one of the baddies took his phone and gave it to his accomplice. The two ed west on Stone Street and disappeared into the subway. The man’s phone was off-line, so it could not be tracked. Police couldn’t ďŹ nd the thugs in the area, but video captured their faces outside 2 Broadway. The stolen cell was an iPhone 4 valued at $200.

The Tale of Two de Blasios MAYOR de BLASIO

LANDLORD de BLASIO

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A de Blasio rent freeze and his push for stricter Albany rent laws is not only one big contradiction, it will destroy affordable housing for the millions of New Yorkers who depend on it.

“I provide affordable housing for 5 families in Harlem.�

“I provide affordable housing for 6 families in Bay Ridge.�

“I provide affordable housing for 8 families in Park Slope.�

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MAY 21-27,2015

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Useful Contacts POLICE NYPD 7th Precinct

19 ½ Pitt St.

212-477-7311

NYPD 6th Precinct

233 W. 10th St.

212-741-4811

NYPD 10th Precinct

230 W. 20th St.

212-741-8211

NYPD 13th Precinct

230 E. 21st St.

NYPD 1st Precinct

16 Ericsson Place

212-477-7411 212-334-0611

FIRE FDNY Engine 15

25 Pitt St.

311

FDNY Engine 24/Ladder 5

227 6th Ave.

311

FDNY Engine 28 Ladder 11

222 E. 2nd St.

311

FDNY Engine 4/Ladder 15

42 South St.

311

ELECTED OFFICIALS Councilmember Margaret Chin

165 Park Row #11

Councilmember Rosie Mendez

237 1st Ave. #504

212-587-3159 212-677-1077

Councilmember Corey Johnson

224 W. 30th St.

212-564-7757

State Senator Daniel Squadron

250 Broadway #2011

212-298-5565

Community Board 1

49 Chambers St.

212-442-5050

Community Board 2

3 Washington Square Village

212-979-2272

Community Board 3

59 E. 4th St.

212-533-5300

Community Board 4

330 W. 42nd St.

212-736-4536

Hudson Park

66 Leroy St.

212-243-6876

Ottendorfer

135 2nd Ave.

212-674-0947

Elmer Holmes Bobst

70 Washington Square

212-998-2500

COMMUNITY BOARDS

LIBRARIES

Children play in the vacant lot at 136 West 20th Street that community activists are seeking to turn into a park. Photo by NYC Park Advocates

HOSPITALS New York-Presbyterian

170 William St.

Mount Sinai-Beth Israel

10 Union Square East

212-844-8400

212-312-5110

CON EDISON

4 Irving Place

212-460-4600

TIME WARNER

46 East 23rd

813-964-3839

US Post Office

201 Varick St.

212-645-0327

US Post Office

128 East Broadway

212-267-1543

US Post Office

93 4th Ave.

212-254-1390

POST OFFICES

CHELSEA GREEN: NEW PARK WINS FUNDING Grassroots effort yields result in neighborhood starved for open space BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS

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In what could be seen as a referendum on the need for open space in Chelsea, over half of the people who participated this year in Councilmember Corey Johnson’s participatory budgeting program voted to allocate funds for the creation of a small park on W. 20th Street. The proposal was the top vote getter among 17 proposals, with over 1,300 ballots out of 2,328 votes cast to secure $200,000 in funds to make the park a reality. “In the context of 17 other very worthy community projects, to have the one with such a huge turnout...clearly speaks to a very activated and engaged community around the idea of open green space in the area,” said Matthew Weiss, founder of Friends of 20th Street Park, the driving force behind the initiative. Johnson said the success of the initiative speaks to the lack of parkland in the neighborhod. “Chelsea is starved of

open space, with Community Board 4 ranking dead last out of the 12 Community Boards in Manhattan in terms of open space and parks within a quarter-mile of residents,” he said. “Nearby schools that currently lack outdoor play space will be able to use this park to provide fresh air and exercise for their students, and New Yorkers who live and work in the neighborhood will have a place to have lunch, read a book or simply enjoy the weather.” The funds will be used for an environmental assessment of the lot – which was owned by the Dept. of Sanitation – and for the demolition of two low-rise administrative buildings. The funds will be disbursed through Johnson’s office to the various involved city agencies such as the Parks Department and Dept. of Environmental Conservation. The funds will be allocated as part of the FY 2016 budget, which is usually passed at the end of June. Johnson’s office said in terms of voter turnout, the councilmember was in the top five among 23 city council members who took part in partici-

patory budgeting this year. Geoffrey Croft, president of NYC Park Advocates, said he’s been involved in the effort to create a park at 136 West 20th Street, between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue, for at least three years. “Chelsea, especially that area, is starved of park space and this will be terrific,” said Croft. “The challenge now it to make sure that the funding comes online and the project moves forward in an expedited fashion.” Weiss previously told The Chelsea News that he got involved in this effort in 2010 after he and his wife had a son and quickly realized there were no parks around where they live. He created a website around the issue and started raising community awareness, including with a petition that now has thousands of signatures in support of the park. Now, five years later, the first tangible fruits of that effort are paying off. “Winning participatory budgeting feels great, it’s definitely an exciting step forward for the park,” said Weiss. “More than half of the people who voted in participatory budgeting voted for the park, which is just awesome. It’s a huge validation.” Croft said he doesn’t usually see this amount of organization and dedication around park issues, and that Friends of 20th Street Park and its

members are the only reason the initiative wound up on the participatory budgeting ballot and won. “With the way they’ve been focused and organized around this issue, this is a very unique group,” he said. Croft said midblock parks, or “pocket parks,” were prevalent in the time of Robert Moses, but much less so nowadays. “It’s very rare these days to have a midblock park,” said Croft. “The only way this would’ve come about is if you have a very dedicated group, which this is.” The site was originally eyed by Community Board 4 for the creation of affordable housing, but as momentum gathered to create a park there instead, alternative sites for affordable housing began to emerge, many of which came from Friends of 20th Street Park. As for the park, soil tests and a site history study have yet to be completed. Weiss said his group is meeting with Johnson’s office in the coming weeks to determine the way forward. “I think we’ll be sitting down in the coming weeks with [Johnson’s] office and his team, who we have a really good relationship with, and will talk about putting these funds into action,” said Weiss.

MAY 21-27,2015

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The High Line

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THIS WEEK ON THE HIGH LINE PLANT OF THE WEEK: WILD GERANIUM Wild geranium is a hardy perennial, native to the woodlands and meadows of eastern North America, with a range extending from southern Manitoba down to Alabama and Georgia. It’s known colloquially as cranesbill, due to the beak-like column in the center of each flower. Although many plants in the genus Pelargonium are also referred to as geraniums, they can be distinguished from true geraniums by their native range (southern Africa) and their hardiness (semi-hardy, but generally sold as an annuals in the northeast). Wild geranium makes an excellent ground cover in sunny or partially shaded areas. Those looking to attract pollinators will find that they are a favorite of butterflies. They are at their best towards spring’s end, when their pale pink blossoms bring a splash of color to the forest

COMING UP TOUR: HIGH LINE ART Wednesday, May 27, 2015 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm Join Cecilia Alemani, Director and Chief Curator of High Line Art, and Melanie Kress, Curatorial Fellow, as they share the details behind the wide array of artwork on the High Line, including site-specific commissions, exhibitions, performances, video, and a series of billboard interventions. RSVP required

MEDITATION Every Wednesday, June through September, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. 22nd Street Seating Steps, on the High Line at West 22nd

floor or garden. Historically, wild geranium’s astringent roots have been used to treat a variety of ailments, such as mouth sores, wounds, and digestive complaints. It’s still in use today by practitioners of herbal medicine. You can see this plant on the High Line in the Northern Spur Preserve, between 16th and 17th Streets.

Street Join our neighbors from the Integral Yoga Institute, the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, and two surprise guests, for weekly guided meditations. Rise above the city streets and start your day focused, centered, and connected with nature. Beginners welcome!

VELVET GLOVES GENTLEMAN’S BOXING Thursday, May 28, 2015 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm 14th Street Passage, on the High Line at West 14th Street Velvet Gloves Gentleman’s Boxing is a nomadic club that offers conditioning classes and lessons in boxing technique. The club provides a fitness and wellness experience tailored to the cultural sensitivities of urban

gay men. Workouts are meant to challenge body and mind, and participants say they are faster, leaner, have more endurance, and feel stronger after them. Velvet Gloves is all about gentlemanly respect, empowerment, social responsibility and diversity. The co-founders, Vance Garrett and Francisco Liuzzi, promise that no one has ever been hit in the face. After the 75 minute class comes the club part – a social cool down complements the experience. Workouts are open to adults of all genders and orientations. Absolute beginners, novices, and fitness enthusiasts alike are welcome. RSVP required.

Downtowner

“THIS PLACE IS EPIC!” — Ashley S.

Text and photos from www.thehighline.or

JOIN NOW, PAY $0 INITIATION AND GET MAY FREE! Pier 60 | 212.336.6000 | chelseapiers.com/sc Offer valid through 5/31/15. Restrictions apply. Photography: Scott McDermott

THE SPORTS CENTER

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MAY 21-27,2015

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

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The New Market Building as seen from the Brooklyn Bridge. The low slung “cooler area� at the rear of the building on the water is set to be demolished by the city’s Economic Development Corporation. A similar cooler area is also set to be demolished at the nearby Tin Building.

SEAPORT BUILDINGS TO BE PARTIALLY DEMOLISHED CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “It has no bearing on Howard Hughes’ plans right now,â€? said an EDC spokesperson. “It’s not affecting construction at Pier 17.â€? Howard Hughes has a 60-year lease on the Seaport with the EDC, and has already received approval to turn Pier 17 into a shopping and dining destination. The EDC indicated full demolition of the New Market Building could occur after the cooler area is demolished. “The demolition of the cooler area is a ďŹ rst step and will allow EDC and the other agencies to more fully evaluate the remaining portions of the structure and determine if additional measures are needed, which may include full or partial demolition,â€? said the EDC in their email. “Changes to the Tin Building will be handled according to the appropriate procedure as determined by the Landmarks Preservation Commission and State Historic Preservation Office.â€? The New Market Building falls outside the boundaries of the South Street Seaport Historic District, despite efforts by local preservation groups to confer upon it landmark status. The Tin Building, however,

falls within the historic district and is subject to city and state historic preservation agencies. “Both the Tin and New Market buildings suffer from signiďŹ cant structural issues and are in very poor condition overall,â€? the EDC said in their email. The EDC called the demolition of the cooler areas “emergency workâ€? and said they expect it to commence in July or August. Robert LaValva, president of the New Amsterdam Market, which held events in front of the New Market Building before closing last year, said he’s not surprised the EDC is moving forward with a partial demolition. “I think there’s been no maintenance on those buildings for over 10 years, so I think it’s inevitable that they’re going to fall apart,â€? said LaValva. “It’s demolition by neglect.â€? LaValva was at the center of preservationist’s efforts to fight portions of Howard Hughes’ redevelopment proposal, before stepping back from the issue last summer. He said if Howard Hughes’ plan doesn’t ultimately come to fruition, and the buildings are eventually demolished because they’re in such poor condition, the city would have lost a historic piece of its fabric by not addressing their condition sooner. “It’s concernging that, while there does seem to be long term plans for the site, it’s being allowed to deteriorate,â€? said LaValva. “Let’s say this develop-

ment project is not approved, it would be a shame to lose this site due to this neglect.� David Sheldon, a member of Save Our Seaport, the most prominent preservationist group opposed to Howard Hughes’ development proposal, likened the deterioration of the Seaport buildings to a scandal for the EDC. “It’s as if they wanted to see them so degraded that they could be given away for nothing,� said Sheldon. �The Tin and New Market buildings have been left vacant since 2005 without any maintenance or upkeep. Monies allocated for pier/platform repairs to the East River Esplanade were spent everywhere but here.� Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer declined to comment. A spokesperson for Councilmember Margaret Chin said her office was notified by EDC last Wednesday and “will continue to follow this closely.� Howard Hughes must still go through the city’s public review process, known as ULURP, before embarking on their redevelopment project. The EDC recently moved a bike lane out from under the canopy at the New Market Building to ensure public safety in case of collapse. They also said an environmental remediation study has begun to allow for hazardous material abatement prior to demolition.

MAY 21-27,2015

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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

ADDING GUILT TO THE PRICE OF A MANICURE NEWS Manhattan women grapple with news of abuses in the nail-salon business BY ANGELA BARBUTI

What price beauty? In the wake of a report in The New York Times, which revealed nail salon workers’ low wages and deplorable conditions, women throughout the city struggled over how to respond to the news, and what that meant for what many had seen as a perk of city living. “The shocking reality of the situation is incredibly sad,” said Lauren Dulin, who frequents various salons in Manhattan. “While I never thought these women were getting paid a lot of money, the fact that they don’t even make minimum wage, pay to work for free in the beginning of their careers and deal with abusive work environments, all while the government that is supposed to protect them is ignoring the situation, is infuriating.” The Times interviewed 100 workers, and learned that a majority do not get paid the minimum wage; to make matters worse, some must pay a sig-

nificant training fee. Owners can also withhold pay until they deem the employee wage worthy. When asked what they estimated salon workers’ salaries to be, most of the women we spoke to assumed manicurists were making a yearly salary in the range of $30,000. Others thought they were paid by the hour, along the lines of $7 to $10, depending on the caliber of the salon. As the article revealed, some of the salon workers make an hourly wage as low as $1.50. The women we spoke with all confirmed that the cost of a regular manicure has not increased for what they felt was a very long time. The Times also referred to a 2014 survey in Nails Magazine that said the national average is almost double the average price of $10.50 for a Manhattan manicure. Martha Torres, who grew up in California, noted the difference in wages there, saying, “All employees have to at least earn the minimum wage regardless of tips.” Dulin, a Florida native, was always aware of the fact that this price discrepancy didn’t add up. “I found it strange that the prices in New York City were the same as they were in Florida, given that everything else is more expensive here.” As far as tipping goes, reading the

article did inspire some women to increase what they give. “I definitely tip more now,” Dulin said. Torres agreed, but brought up the possibility that the workers may not even be earning the tip she leaves. “Since reading the article I have increased my tip, but I worry about the employee actually getting it,” she said. “I read that the owners will keep tips or not pay the entire tip and that’s not right. I hope the employee receives the actual tip I leave, but leaving a larger tip makes me feel that maybe I am helping to improve the situation.” Although Sandy Strk, who goes to salons in both Manhattan and Queens, never saw employees blatantly mistreated, she does notice that they don’t wear protective masks and gloves or take proper lunch breaks. “I see them eating in the back standing up until someone walks in. Then they quickly stop eating and rush to the customer,” she said. The article stated that in a salon’s hierarchy, the highest value is placed on Korean women, who get paid as much as 15 to 25 percent more than the others. It also conceded that Latinas are made to administer the least desirable jobs, like giving men pedicures. Caitlin Gangi, who also gets her manicures

done in both Manhattan and Queens, said, “I have not seen this type of racism in the industry, however I have seen that the new girls do the men.” The women we interviewed do not feel guilty about the types of services the employees are providing them, including cutting overgrown cuticles and removing calluses from feet. “People pay for lots of services they aren’t good at or dislike doing,” Dulin said. Dana Lyons Haldeman likened it to a doctor’s work, and said that it’s not the undesirable tasks that are to blame, but the wages, which should be commensurate to the labor. Salon owners interviewed by the Times posed the argument that they were in fact helping immigrants by employing them. Torres, who herself emigrated from Nicaragua, does not share that sentiment. “It makes me

sad to see immigrants taking advantage of and abusing other immigrants. We all came here for a better life and they are exploiting others,” she said. In order to protect against these infractions, the ladies offered suggestions such as implementing a ratings system similar to what is already in effect for restaurants. Another alternative was to enact stricter laws so salons truly do operate as restaurants when it comes to wages and tipping; since the article was published, both the city and the state have vowed to crack down on the industry. Going forward, Strk would like to see “spot checking from officials” as part of the changes put into place. She also hopes for fair wages, adding, “even if that means the price that I would be paying for a mani/pedi would increase.”

TO GO OR NOT TO GO? Our reporter explores the new decision-making involved in getting a manicure in Manhattan. See the Voices page inside.

Stacey Pearson, left, of CrossFit

WALKING FOR A CAUSE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 said Fatima Alonzo, the group’s executive director. Athena Shapiro, a third-grade teacher from PS 163 on the Upper West Side, walked with her husband and daughter Reeva, age 4. “This is our tenth year walking,” she said. “We started our tradition together when we were dating. My mother always supported GMHC and

after she died on 9/11 I walk in her memory. Tables, banners, food, tshirts, corporate sponsors, and groups with their own names lined the park and rallied for awareness. Stacey Pearson of Crossfit NYC, which has a new location in Chelsea, was there, as was David Wohlstadter-Rocha, who lives in Chelsea and is an ER doctor at BluePearl Veterinary Partners. Chemistry teacher and student government advisor Matthew Singer, of the Bronx School of Law & Science, said

his school brought students, teachers, parents and alumni to the walk. “We are no different than any other school,” he said. “We have a student body that is passionate about the community and volunteering, which is truly special”. Shemella Daniels, an 18-yearold aspiring journalist and high school senior, said she has lost family members to HIV AIDS. “It’s my first time doing the walk,” she said. “We cannot cure it at the moment, but we can fight it.”

Volunteers at the 10-kilometer event, which attracted 30,000 walkers. Photos by Heather Stein

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MAY 21-27,2015

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Poetry

Voices

BRONX COCKTAIL Lazing atop beds of fallen fresh magnolia petals Omni-scented, intoxicated, naturally created heaven scent Melon mulch, wet leather must and elderly cream; sweet cushion, Full blown fledglings drift and soar during an unusual April heat

OP-ED

THE MANICURE CONUNDRUM: WHAT’S THE RIGHT MOVE? BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

More than a few askew the more make merry. - Russell Aaronson (NY Botanical Gardens)

ANYDAY AFTERNOONS Blades of grass Shifting in the funneled breeze, bodies undulating Atop the boulders under trees, Little lovelies flying their plastics Amongst the never ceasing skyline of thought and creation; Pathways to heaven At ten to eleven Lakes for reflection Fountains of correction Sunlit field playing in harmony Laughter and love in all its pageantry, Smiles and songs Everything belongs, God in disguise and I With these random eyes For those precious lives. - Russell Aaronson (Sheep Meadow)

Growing up, I painted my fingernails in my best friend’s room while we gossiped and watched MTV. Once we had licenses, we drove to the nail salon a few towns over and splurged on $50 acrylic French tips, a treat reserved for prom and graduation. But mostly, my nails remained bare. I still rarely get manicures. I’m content to save the money and polish my fingernails at home while casually watching a baseball game or marathoning the latest season of “The Voice.” But I do get manicures, perhaps three or four a year, and the slightly more expensive pedicures when I’m attending a wedding or rewarding myself at the end of a particularly busy week. If I let too much time pass between manicures, I find I’m self-conscious, especially around women with wellmaintained fingernails and cuticles. A fresh manicure is part of feeling put together, but when did it become a frequent necessity, as common as a haircut? When visiting a nail salon for the first time, I often look for visibly sanitary conditions—do the manicurists remove cuticle nippers and nail clippers from a sealed pouch, in front of me? Do the floors appear freshly swept, the pedicure tubs newly scrubbed? And does the salon carry a wide selection of brightly colored polish? The time spent with a manicurist often passes in silence, which, paired with what I’ve imagined is repetitive, laborious work, and the shoulder massage I receive for free while I sit with my freshly painted fingernails under a

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manicure, does that mean the employees are fairly compensated? If I tip more, how do I know that money is going to the manicurist and not to the salon’s owners? Awareness doesn’t always make us ethical, responsible consumers. I’ll buy a piece of clothing that I know was likely made in a factory with unsafe working conditions, by an employee who isdrastically overworked and underpaid, because the clothing fits and it’s reasonably priced. That employee is not handing me my new shirt. Living in New York, we can develop a relative immunity to our surround-

ings—the loud sirens at night, the gentle rumble of the train below our apartments—and those with whom we share this city can become remarkably anonymous. For me, it’s easy enough to withdraw my patronage at inexpensive nail salons and assuage the guilt that comes from being complicit. But somehow that doesn’t seem like quite enough, when it’s also easy to sit at home, tune in to a baseball game and distractedly paint my nails. Gabrielle Alfiero is arts editor of this newspaper.

Write to us: To share your thoughts and comments go to otdowntown.com

Have you written a poem that your neighbors should see? Send it to us at news@ strausnews.com

STRAUS MEDIA your neighborhood news source

fan, always made me a bit uneasy. But I guess never too uneasy. That’s not true anymore, for me and I imagine many women and men in New York, after reading Sarah Maslin Nir’s investigative piece for The New York Times that revealed the exploitation of mostly female nail salon employees and the devastating health effects of breathing omnipresent toxic fumes in the salons. I don’t imagine I’ll visit a nail salon in the city anytime soon. If I do, I’d rather spend double for the knowledge that the employees are fairly paid and ethically treated. But how will I know? If I pay more for a

and click on submit a letter to the editor. Vice President/CFO Otilia Bertolotti Vice President/CRO Vincent A. Gardino advertising@strausnews.com

Associate Publishers, Seth L. Miller, Ceil Ainsworth Sr. Account Executive, Tania Cade

President & Publisher, Jeanne Straus nyoffice@strausnews.com Account Executive Editor In Chief, Kyle Pope Fred Almonte, Susan Wynn editor.ot@strausnews.com Director of Partnership Development Deputy Editor, Richard Khavkine Barry Lewis editor.dt@strausnews.com

Staff Reporters, Gabrielle Alfiero, Daniel Fitzsimmons

Block Mayors, Ann Morris, Upper West Side Jennifer Peterson, Upper East Side Gail Dubov, Upper West Side Edith Marks, Upper West Side

MAY 21-27,2015

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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

TENNIS IN THE CITY: A PRIMER Advice from a vet on permits, equipment and lessons BY GALE MOORMAN

The tennis season has begun. Whether you’re a newcomer who knows nothing about tennis but wants to start learning, a newbie who played a bit last season, or a full-fledged tennis hitter, here’s what you need to know.

a hand that is a bit larger will need a 4¾. A can of tennis balls -- no matter the brand -- is also a necessity.Most of the court surfaces on city courts are either clay (red or green) or hard/composite courts. The numbers on the balls will coincide with the label at the bottom of the can designating the surface. Tennis sneakers must be smooth soled, preferably of a herringbone embossed sole. You can ask the sales clerk to guide you.

Get a Permit You can’t get anywhere without a permit. You can apply online at www.nycgovparks. org, but many people chose to go in person. The Arsenal at 65th on 5th Avenue is the go-to place where tennis conversations and stories are traded from one patron to the other while waiting for permits to be processed. Permit fees are $200 for adults aged 18–61, $20 for seniors 62 and over and $10 for juniors from 6 years old to 17. Proof of age may be required and if you present a free IDNYC identification card seniors and juniors will get a 10% discount on their permits. You may pay for your permit with cash, a money order or credit/debit cards. If you happen to lose your permit, adults and seniors will have to pay $15 for a replacement and juniors must pay $6. If you may not want to commit for an entire season, you can always buy a single play or “pay– as–you go” ticket for $15. No photo ID is needed and if you want to reserve a court at a certain day or time, the fee is also $15. The other venue to buy a permit is Paragon Sporting Goods at 18th street on Broadway. While you wait, you can look at racquets and other accessories to complete your tennis needs for the season. The store has a cozy area straight in the back where permits can be bought.

Getting the Accessories People new to tennis can head to sporting goods store such as Modell’s or Sports Authority to purchase a racquet at a reasonable price. Stay away from racquets without strings. They are designed for the more advanced player who has the desire for a certain type of string. Racquets of this type will be more expensive. The handle or grip should be labeled 4½ for average hand size;

Acquiring Partners Now that you have the permit and accessories to play, you need partners. The most difficult part of learning to play tennis is having enough partners, who can hit with you, helping to improve your strokes and game while keeping the game enjoyable for you and them. If you’ve been playing tennis longer, you probably have enough tennis partners to keep your game hot and your rallies going strong. Most tennis courts have a bulletin board where you can put up a card providing your name, phone number and level of skill.

Getting Lessons There is a program for seniors, 62 and over who may be first timers and who want to learn the basics for free. The program ends June 19 and was started by the City Parks Foundatio. Juniors age 6 through 17 have NY Junior Tennis League (NYJTL), to learn tennis basics for free.Contact the NYJTL for more information on dates and locations. Both of these free programs offer lessons and free racquets and balls for use at the site. If you want to go with a pro, there are numerous raquet clubs that offer private lessons.

Learning the Basics on Your Own If you aren’t financially able to take lessons and free lessons aren’t given when you want to learn, you can always stake out a hand ball wall, usually located inside of schoolyards or playgrounds around the city’s parks. The wall is an excellent tool for toning up your shots. Many times I did “The Wall” practice, which made my shots hard, strong and consistent when I was able to get partners to play at a city court.

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May 29–31, 2015 at Mohonk Mountain House

or call 646-527-9500. Overnight reservations for Mohonk Mountain House 888-976-0785

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MAY 21-27,2015

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Out & About More Events. Add Your Own: Go to otdowntown.com

Erectile Dysfunction:

Fri 22

Travel the Road to Treatment

PARSONS FESTIVAL 2015

What do men do when Erectile Dysfunction pills aren’t effective? Don’t like the idea of expensive penile injections, suppositories, and vacuum pumps? Get the facts on an inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP): a permanent solution—covered by many insurance plans—which allows an erection as often as you like, for as long as you wish. Attend a FREE seminar sponsored by Coloplast Corp. to educate men and their partners about an advanced, DRUG FREE treatment for E.D. FREE REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED Featuring: Dr. J. Francois Eid A board certified urologist who specializes in the treatment of E.D.

The New York Marriott East Side Morgan B Room 525 Lexington Ave. at 49th St. New York, NY 10017

Also featuring: A patient who has found a long-term solution to his E.D. Wednesday, June 3, 2015 Refreshments available at 6 p.m. Presentation begins at 6:15 p.m. PARTNERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND An educational series, sponsored by Coloplast Corp., designed to inform and empower. www.ColoplastMensHealth.com

To reserve your space or for more information about this FREE seminar, please call: (866) 233-9368.

63 Fifth Avenue 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., Free The Parsons Festival offers an array of exciting thesis exhibitions, presentations, installations, workshops, symposia, gallery openings and special events. 212-229-5108. events. newschool.edu/event/parsons_ festival_2015#.VVpB3_lViko

event&eventID=9945AE19E139-781EB2EF4D169F2079A0

212-998-1212. events.nyu. edu/#event_id/33630/view/ event

Sun 24

MISSED CONNECTIONS: A GROUP EXHIBITION OF NEW WORKS

▲ NATIONAL TAP DANCE DAY

151 E. 25th St. 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. A group exhibition of new works by the third cohort to complete the New Media Arts minor in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts in the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences. 626-312-1664. www.baruch. cuny.edu/calendar/EventList. aspx?eventidn=20902&vie w=EventDetails&informati on_id=190190

PHOTO EDITING FOR BEGINNERS WITH PIXLR Hudson Park Library, 66 Leroy St. 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. This class will explore the editing of photos using PIXLR. Please bring a flash drive or SD card with pictures to be edited. 212-243-6876. www.nypl.org/events/ programs/2015/05/21/photoediting-beginners-pixlr

Sat 23 WASHINGTON SQUARE OUTDOOR ART EXHIBIT: SPRING SHOW Washington Square Park Noon, Free The Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit is a twicea-year happening event that showcases fine artists and craft artisans from around the New York metropolitan area, the nation and the world. 212-982-6255. www.wsoae. org/

PETER BERNSTEIN QUARTET 178 Seventh Ave. South 10:30 p.m., $30 Guitarist Peter Bernstein has been a part of the city’s jazz scene and abroad since 1989. 212-255-4037. www. instantseats.com/index. cfm?fuseaction=home.

Pier 45, Hudson River Park, just off of Christopher Street Over 100 tappers — student and professional — will be dance in riffs and open jams on this, the 26th anniversary of this yearly celebration of tap, and the birthday of tap dance legend Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. atdf.org/NationalTapDay.html

NY — THE LOST NEW YORK SCAVENGER HUNT 1 p.m., $24.50 Battery Park Uncover the layers of history and mystery in Lower Manhattan, along twisty streets laid out by the Dutch, through the canyons of finance with majestic Jazz Age skyscrapers, down the ticker-tape parade route of heroes, and out to the expansive harbor views of Battery Park. 877-946-4868. web. ovationtix.com/trs/pe.c/9975120

Mon 25

Tue 26 DIY STEAMPUNK GOGGLES Seward Park Library 192 E. Broadway 4 p.m., Free Are you a fan of H. P. Lovecraft and the Steampunk culture? Join us as we create our own Victorian accessory, Steampunk goggles. For ages 12-18. 212-477-6770. www.nypl.org/events/ programs/2015/05/26/diysteampunk-goggles

MONDAYS IN MAY

BUZZY BOTS AND CRAWLY CRITTERS

7 p.m. Location TBA Origin Theatre Company returns for the eleventh annual reading series with four works by contemporary European playwrights.

Chatnam Square Library, 33 E. Broadway 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Free This is a hands-on, science workshop series for kids. This program will take the place of our Science Experiments for Kids

MAY 21-27,2015

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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com The local paper for Chelsea

Art

D

AN

the

Future of CHELSEA a community forum

program for the month of June. 212-673-6344. www.nypl.org/ events/programs/2015/05/26/ buzzy-bots-and-crawly-critters

day_2#.VVo7rvlViko

Wed 27

Washington Square Park, Northwest Corner Plaza 3:30-5:30 The Marshall Chess Club instructors are very experienced, including tournament level players, all anxious to introduce our WSA Kids to “The Royal Game.” These free classes will take place Wednesdays and Fridays at 3:30 to 5:30 beginning Wednesday, May 27 through Friday, June 5. We will meet in the northwest corner plaza. 212-677-6783. www. washingtonsquarenyc.org/ washington-square-familyevents

TRUTH BE TOLD DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL 66 West 12th St. 7 p.m., Free Over three evenings, short films made by this year’s students in the New School’s graduate certificate program in Documentary Media Studies are screened for the public 212-229-5108. events. newschool.edu/event/truth_ be_told_documentary_festival_

CHESS CLASS FOR BEGINNERS

Thu 28 ▲ TAXI & LIMOUSINE COMMISSION MEETING 33 Beaver St., 19th Floor, 9 a.m. 212-676-1135. www. nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/home/ home.shtml

▼ MANDARIN SEEDS YA-YA PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE Mandarin Seeds, 279 Church St. #2. 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Free. Come learn about the extremely popular Mandarin immersion Ya-Ya preschool, now open for fall enrollment. Grownups only, RSVP required. 646-580-4769. mandarinseeds.com

Few neighborhoods have changed as quickly, or as dramatically, as Chelsea. This community forum will bring together artists, gallery owners, elected officials and industry leaders to dissect what has happened to Chelsea and outline the very delicate balance it now needs to strike: Can it continue to grow as a leading-edge art center while retaining the feel of a neighborhood? What can be done to keep the artists who helped put it on the map? How will the arrival of the Whitney Museum and, soon, the Hudson Yards project transform the neighborhood?

— Save the Date — It’s FREE. Come join us and the discussion When: Monday, June 8 6-8pm Where: The Rubin Museum 150 West 17th St. RSVP: rsvp@strausnews.com or call 212-868-0190 Seating is first come first served

STRAUSMEDIA your neighborhood news source

7th Avenue and 28th Street, NYC www.strausnews.com | Tel: 212-868-0190

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MAY 21-27,2015

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

< Rumer LeGendre, 18, and her mentor have met Wednesdays on the Upper West Side for about three years to brainstorm and work on poetry and personal essays. Photo: Linda Kleinbub

< Brittney Nanton, a 10th grader at Landmark High School in Chelsea, has grown creatively and in confidence since joining Girls Write Now, a writing and mentoring organization in the Garment District. Photo: Linda Kleinbub

< Yesmil Polanco, a junior at NYC iSchool, has made film and sound recordings as well as written poetry since joining Girls Write Now earlier this year. Photo: Linda Kleinbub

IN BLOOM: PROGRAM TAILORS WRITERS’ BUDDING TALENTS Girls Write Now has paired about 5,000 girls with established writers since its inception 17 years ago BY LINDA KLEINBUB

Brittney Nanton, a 10th grader at Landmark High School in Chelsea, has lots of school friends, but few with whom she can share her love of literature, and even fewer who can give her feedback on her own writing. That, she said, left her feeling uncertain about her talents. But since joining Girls Write Now, a writing and mentoring program in the Garment District, Nanton said she’s grown in confidence and bloomed creatively. “I have found my own unique style that I’m not afraid to share,” said Nanton, who lives on the Upper West Side. “As a woman, this program has made me feel more confident.” Girls Write Now, begun in 1998, pairs high school girls with professional woman writers who provide guidance on writing and, often, on other matters too. Participants commit to meeting with a mentor once a week and to attend monthly group workshops throughout the school year. Most students return for another year; some have stayed with the pro-

gram as long as four years. The program’s founder, Maya Nussbaum, conceived of Girls Write Now during her senior year at Columbia University, at a time she was trying to find her own voice as a writer. “I wanted to break down the myth of the isolated writer and to build an organization based on the principle that it’s actually a communal enterprise,” Nussbaum said. “I focused on teens because I remember ninth and 10th grade of high school as the years during which I became awakened intellectually and creatively. The idea is to identify girls and expose them to new writing opportunities.” More than 5,000 girls have taken part in the program since its inception. Its 2015 anthology, Voice to Voice, will be released on May 19, at the organization’s annual awards evening at Three Sixty Tribeca. By then, Rumer LeGendre, 18, and her mentor will have gotten together on yet another Wednesday on the Upper West Side, where for about three years they have met to brainstorm and work on poetry and personal essays. LeGendre, a senior at NYC iSchool in SoHo who lives in Morningside Heights, called her mentor, Vivian Conan, a huge in-

fluence. About year ago, LeGendre stood in front of a microphone and read two of her poems to a Girls Write Now audience of several hundred. “To share my poem that I saw as empowering on stage in front of people was an exhilarating experience,” said LeGendre, who plans to attend Brooklyn College and study English literature or political science. “Girls Write Now has helped me to grow as a writer, and provided support and encouragement to not be ashamed of my writing, but rather to be self-assured about the words I put on the page.” The organization added a digital mentoring program in 2012, giving students the opportunity to create and fine-tune multimedia projects including video, audio and animation. Yesmil Polanco, a junior at NYC iSchool, joined Girls Write Now this year, not long after her mother died following a long struggle with cancer and what her mentor, Heather Kristin, said were a host of other challenges. Polanco, who lives in Morningside Heights, and Kristin typically meet at the Barnes & Noble in Union Square or at a nearby Starbucks, where they tinker

with words and talk about writing. Polanco, who has made film and sound recordings as well as written poetry, said the program has taught her the power of the written and spoken word. “I’ve learned the importance of how my writing can touch girls like me, of color, from struggling families,” she said. Nanton, the Landmark High 10th grader, also said that weekly rendezvous with her mentor — Amy Flyntz, at an Upper West Side café, where they write, edit the work and share a little a gossip — have been invaluable, both for her writing and for herself. Flyntz, too, has come to treasure the relationship. She recalled a pivotal moment from a recent teen poetry slam at the Nuyorican Poets Café at which Nanton participated on the spur of the moment and without prompting. “She closed the evening by getting up and reading an excerpt from her essay, which received very positive feedback,” Flyntz said. “As we walked to the train, she turned to me, grinned and said, ‘I’m really proud of myself.’ As a mentor, those are the sweetest, most rewarding words you can ever hope to hear. I floated home that night.”

MAY 21-27,2015

TOP5

ACTIVITIES FOR THE FERTILE MIND

thoughtgallery.org Broadway as a Street: Book Signing and Talk

BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO

WeWork | 379 W. Broadway | 855-593-9675 | wework.com

MUSIC

JOSH AGLE (SHAG): “ALL MY BONES”

DAVID ROSENBOOM: PROPOSITIONAL MUSIC

The work of Los Angeles-based painter and illustrator Josh Agle, also known as Shag, with its bold, technicolor palette and cartoonish, vintage characters, evokes hyper-stylized scenes from “Mad Men,” complete with martini glasses and bouffant ‘do’s. The scenes, inspired by Biblical tales, examine our attitudes toward consumerism. Josh Agle (Shag): “All My Bones” Now through June 13 Jonathan LeVine Gallery 557C W. 23rd St., near Eleventh Avenue Gallery hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. FREE For more information, visit jonathanlevinegallery. com or call 212-242-2731

WASHINGTON SQUARE OUTDOOR ART EXHIBIT When Jackson Pollack and Willem de Kooning needed a little extra cash flow, they sold some of their work on the sidewalks near Washington Square Park, a practice that launched a semi-annual art exhibition now in its 85th year. This year’s spring event features work by more than 100 artists, and includes paintings, sculpture, photography, jewelry, and other mediums. Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibition May 23-31 University Place starting on E. 13th Street, south to Waverly Place and the corner of Washington Square Park Noon-6 p.m. on weekends FREE For more information, visit www.WSOAE.org or call 212-982-6255

BOOKS NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN LITERARY FESTIVAL Norway’s literary scene owes much, surely, to Karl Ove Knausgaard, author of the wildly successful set of autobiographical novels, “My Struggle.” For the Norwegian-American Literary Festival, an event from the Paris Review held in Manhattan and Brooklyn, Knausgaard will be a known presence (he performs with his band, Lemen, at the Westway on May 20) but young Norwegian authors, including Kjersti Annesdatter Skomsvold and Carl Frode Tiller, also share their voices. Norwegian-American Literary Festival May 20-22 The Westway 75 Clarkson St., near West Street 192 Books 192 Tenth Ave, at W. 21st Street 7 p.m. FREE For more information, visit http://www. theparisreview.org/events To be included in the Top 5 go to otdowntown.com and click on submit a press release or announcement.

Trace the history of the Wickquasgeck Trail with Untapped Cities founder Michelle Young as she launches her new book. (Free)

The Power of the Photon: An Out-of-This-World Fundraiser for The Planetary Society

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27TH, 6:30PM (Le) Poisson Rouge | 158 Bleecker St. | 212-505-FISH | lepoissonrouge.com Celebrate the first mission of LightSail, the citizen-funded solar spacecraft, and hear from a Space Telescope Science Institute expert and a surprise celebrity guest. ($15)

Just Announced: Reel Pieces with Annette Insdorf | Preview of “A Little Chaos” with Alan Rickman in Person

THURSDAY, JUNE 18TH, 7:15PM 92nd Street Y | 1395 Lexington Ave. | 212-415-5500 | 92y.org Catch a preview of Kate Winslet’s latest, where she plays a landscape designer working in 17thcentury Versailles. Alan Rickman discusses his turn as the Sun King after the screening. ($30)

For more information about lectures, readings and other intellectually stimulating events throughout NYC,

sign up for the weekly Thought Gallery newsletter at thoughtgallery.org.

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In choreographer Jerome Robbins’ 1958 work “N.Y. Export: Opus Jazz,” which New York City Ballet first staged in 2005, dancers wear sneakers and costumes resembling street clothes; the choreography, set to a jazz score, explores the experiences of young city dwellers of the post- World War II era. N.Y. Export: Opus Jazz May 22, 27, 28 and 31 New York City Ballet David H. Koch Theater 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, W. 63rd Street and Columbus Avenue Assorted show times Tickets $59-$164 To purchase tickets, visit nycballet.com or call 212-496-0600

TUESDAY, MAY 26TH, 6:30PM

have

OUR ARTS EDITOR

N.Y. EXPORT: OPUS JAZZ

GALLERIES

NEW YORK CITY

FOR THE WEEK

DANCE

The third floor theater in the Whitney Museum of American Art opens for a Memorial Day weekend concert series celebrating the work of experimental musician and composer David Rosenboom. The three-day event includes “Zones of Influence,” which Rosenboom wrote three decades ago for percussionist William Winant, who will perform along with piano, violin and electronic accompaniment. David Rosenboom: Propositional Music May 22-24 Whitney Museum of American Art Susan and John Hess Theater 99 Gansevoort Street, near Washington Street Assorted show times Tickets $12-$22, with some free shows To purchase tickets, visit whitney.org, or call 212-570-3600 for more information

13

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Email us at news@strausnews.com

14

MAY 21-27,2015

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS MAY 11 - 16, 2015

Drom

85 Avenue A

Grade Pending (26) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred. Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

The following listings were collected from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website and include the most recent inspection and grade reports listed. We have included every restaurant listed during this time within the zip codes of our neighborhoods. Some reports list numbers with their explanations; these are the number of violation points a restaurant has received. To see more information on restaurant grades, visit www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/services/restaurant-inspection.shtml. Lenny’s

66 West 9 Street

A

Molecule Water Store

259 East 10 Street

A

Ninth Street Espresso

75 9 Avenue

A

Fat Buddha

212 Avenue A

A

Vivi Bubble Tea

65 W 8th St

A

A & C Kitchen

134136 Avenue C

A

Rex Chelsea

251 W 23rd St

Not Graded Yet (30) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.

Revision

219 Avenue B

A

Planet Rose

219 Avenue A

A

Cagen

414 East 9 Street

A

Timna

109 Saint Marks Pl

Not Graded Yet (17) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Jacks Coffee

425 West 13 Street

A

The Fork Bar & Grill

252 8 Avenue

A

Ty’s

114 Christopher Street A

No. 8

357 W 16th St

A

Kettle Of Fish

59 Christopher Street

A

Dd Maru Sushi

267 West 17 Street

A

Victory Garden

31 Carmine Street

A

Cucina & Company

200 Park Avenue

A

Sugar & Plumm

257 Bleecker Street

A

Jennifer Cafe

67 1 Avenue

A

Sob’s

200 Varick Street

A

Cinema Village

22 East 12 Street

A

Blenheim

283 West 12 Sttreet

A

Haagen Dazs

55 East 8 Street

A

Karahi Indian Cuisine

118 Christopher Street A

Prune

54 East 1 Street

A

Spice Market

2935 9 Avenue

A

Black Ant

60 2 Avenue

A

Ramen Thukpa

70 7 Avenue South

A

All’onda

22 East 13 Street

Grade Pending (21) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Maza Cafe

30 Carmine St

Grade Pending (2) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.

Robataya

231 E 9th St

A

Henrietta Hudson

438 Hudson Street

A

The Juice Shop

815 Broadway

Grade Pending (18) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

49 Grove

49 Grove Street

A

Dominique Ansel Kitchen

137 7th Ave S

A

Cafe Angelique

6870 Bleecker Street

A

Falucka

162 Bleecker Street

A

Amc Theatres 19th Street East

890 Broadway

A

Saxon & Parole

316 Bowery

A

Subway

120 4 Avenue

Closed by Health Department (19) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Zinc

82 West 3 Street

A

Burger & Barrel

25 West Houston Street

A

Miss Lily’s

132 West Houston Street

A

Nyu Gcasl Kitchen

238 Thompson Street A

Costata

206 Spring Street

A

Von

3 Bleecker Street

A

Balthazar Bakery

80 Spring Street

A

Hampton Chutney Company

68 Prince Street

Grade Pending (32) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Great Jones Juice Bar

29 Great Jones Street A

Piccola Cucina

184 Prince Street

Murray’s Falafel And Grill

261 1 Avenue

A

Fair Folks And A Goat

330 East 11 Street

A

Zum Schneider

107109 Avenue C

A

Ichibantei

401 E 13th St

Not Yet Graded (15) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or nonfood areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Papa John’s Pizza

210 1st Ave

Not Yet Graded (32) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

A

MAY 21-27,2015

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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

RESTAURANT INSPECTION RATINGS The Dutch

131 Sullivan Street

A

Batard

239 West Broadway

A

Mile End Sandwich

53 Bond Street

A

Salaam Bombay

319 Greenwich Street

Domodomo

138 W Houston St

Not Yet Graded. No violations were recorded at the initial nonoperational pre-permit inspection conducted on 05/14/2015, or violations cited were dismissed at an administrative hearing.

The Dessert Kitchen

192 Bleecker St

Not Yet Graded (14) Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.

Grade Pending (21) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Yeah Shanghai Deluxe

50 Mott Street

Grade Pending (25) Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/ sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Madame X

94 West Houston Street

A

Socarrat Nolita

284 Mulberry Street

A

Cafetal Social Club

285 Mott Street

A

Mimi And Coco Ny

92 Rivington Street

A

21 Shanghai House

21 Division Street

A

The Butterfly

225 West Broadway

A

Cablito

13 Essex St

A

Ho Won Bake Shoppe Inc.

146 Hester Street

A

The Late Late

159 E Houston St

A

Wichcraft

397 Greenwich Street A

Pala

198 Allen Street

A

Santos Party House

100 Lafayette Street

Lounge 247 I M O K

247 Eldridge Street

Grade Pending (18) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Grade Pending (15) Tobacco use, eating, or drinking from open container in food preparation, food storage or dishwashing area observed. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Pier 25 Snack Bar

225 West Street

A

Sweetgreen Tribeca

413 Greenwich St

A

Kiki’s

130 Division St

A

Cafe Bari

276 Canal St

A

Big Hing Wong Restaurant

300 Grand Street

A

Haus

285 W Broadway

Seoul Chicken

71 Clinton Street

A

Happy Family Kitchen

213 East Broadway

A

Not Yet Graded (23) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Changle Xin Fan Zhuang

36 Eldridge Street

Grade Pending (22) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Bread Talk

47 Catherine Street

A

121 Fulton Street

121 Fulton Street

A

Grk Fresh Greek

111 Fulton Street

A

Pita Express

15 Ann Street

A

Open Door Gastropub

110 John Street

A

Ambrose Hall

18 Fulton Street

A

Vbar Seaport

212 Front Street

Not Yet Graded (32) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation. Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Thai Sliders & Co. Llc

108 John St

Grade Pending (16) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Blimpie

73 Catherine Street

A

Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin Robbins

100 Chambers Street

A

Bite Of Hong Kong

81 Chrystie St

Grade Pending (18) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Terroir Tribeca

24 Harrison Street

A

Arcade Bakery

220 Church St

A

Beijing Pop Kabob Restaurant Inc

122 Mulberry Street

A

Bar Hugo

525 Greenwich St

A

Hideaway

185 Duane Street

Grade Pending (7) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Next Bar & Lounge

43 Mott Street

A

Pepe Rosso Social

173 Mott Street

A

Kiss My Slice

234 Canal Street

A

Spicebox Crepe

33 Pell Street

A

Lung Moon Bakery

83 Mulberry Street

A

Labella Ferrara

108 Mulberry Street

A

Sway Lounge

305 Spring Street

A

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196A Stanton St

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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

16

Business

< WOMEN ON THE $20 Members of the City Council’s Women’s Caucus announced the introduction of a resolution calling on the federal government to put a woman on the $20 bill. From left: Council Member Inez Barron, Women on 20s co-leaders Susan Ades Stone and Barbara Ortiz Howard, NOW-NY President Sonia Ossorio (in back), Council Members Margaret Chin and Laurie Cumbo.

The city council’s Women’s Caucus is backing an effort to get a woman on the $20 bill. The caucus introduced a resolution last week in support of the measure, dubbed #WomenOn20s. T The Council members were joined by Barbara Ortiz Howard and Susan Ades Stone, co-lead-

In Brief BREWER-MENDEZ TENANT NOTIFICATION BILL PASSES COUNCIL Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Councilmember Rosie Mendez recently announced the city council’s passage of Int. 222, legislation requiring landlords provide tenants with advance notice for non-emergency repair work that will result in disruptions to building services. The bill establishes a general baseline of 72 hours advance notice for most work. For work affecting elevators, the bill requires 10 business days notice for major alteration work and 24 hours notice for any other work that will suspend all elevator service for more than two hours. The legislation, sponsored jointly by Mendez and Brewer, “closes a gaping hole in the city’s tenant-protection laws, which currently provide no such advance-notice requirements,” according to a joint press release. “Today, a wheelchair-bound tenant could leave for work in the morning and return in the evening to find the elevator offline for hours, having never heard a whisper about it,” said Brewer. “Tenants deserve fair warning and an opportunity to plan around disruptive maintenance work.” Mendez, who represents parts of the Lower East Side, Alphabet City and the East Village, said the legislation codifies common sense and common courtesy.

GET OUT THE VOTE (EARLY) A pair of uptown council members are pushing a voter pre-registration resolution for all 16- and 17-year-olds, citing statistics that say New York State is consistently among the lowest in the country when it comes to voter turnout. Last Thursday Councilmembers Helen Rosenthal, on the Upper West Side, and Ben Kallos, on the Upper East Side, introduced a resolution calling on New York State to pass a law to allow voter pre-registration for all 16- and 17-year-olds and requiring local boards of education to adopt policies to promote student voter registration. As evidence, said Rosenthal and Kallos, in the 2012 presidential election New York State had the seventh lowest voter turnout nationwide, and in last year’s gubernatorial election New York State had the fourth-lowest voter turnout nationwide. The statistics for youth voting in New York State are also worrisomely low, according to the the council members. In 2012, they said, voter turnout among people age 18-29 was 42 percent, 20 percentage points lower than turnout among people 30 and older. In the 2008 and 2009 elections, New York City voter turnout among 18- to 29-year-olds was the lowest of any age group. However, said Rosenthal and Kallos, studies show that young people who are registered to vote often turn out at similar rates to older registered voters.

MAY 21-27,2015

ers of the Women on 20s movement and the official W20 campaign, whose work inspired the resolution, as well as recently introduced federal legislation. Last week Howard and Stone announced the results of a nationwide online vote held by W20 to consider potential new faces of the $20 bill. More than 600,000 people voted over the course of approximately 10 weeks, ultimately choosing legendary abolitionist Harriet Tub-

man as the ballot winner. Also considered on the final ballot were former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, civil rights icon Rosa Parks and Wilma Mankiller, the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation. With a ballot winner chosen, W20 has now launched an additional social media campaign using the hashtag #DearMrPresident, to amplify their message and get the attention of President Barack Obama.

WHO TURNED OUT THE LIGHTS? NEWS A city proposal would require high-rises to turn them off at night BY DEEPTI HAJELA

Bright lights, big city? Not so much, if a New York City council member gets his way. He’s introduced a bill requiring most office high-rises to turn off the lights at night as a way to cut energy costs and help migratory birds. And it might even give New Yorkers a chance to see some stars other than the celebrities walking down the street. “We need to be doing everything we can to conserve energy,” said Councilmember Donovan Richards Jr. “This is a commonsense measure. It’s not going to cost anybody a lot of money.” Seventy-one percent of New Yorkers like the idea, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday of 969 registered city voters. But the bill, one of the first in the city focusing on what supporters call “light pollution,” is causing concern among some residents who worry that dimming the lights could make the city less safe and dampen its signature sparkle. For Joyetta McCullen, the lights are part of what makes her city special, even though she has often wondered why buildings keep all their lights on at night when there’s no one working. “I’m 25, lived in New York all my life, that’s all I saw,” she said, “lights and noise.” Richards’ proposal is aimed at commercial buildings at least 20 stories high, and requires them to turn off the lights after midnight if no one is inside. On a recent dusk, whole floors could be seen lit up in high-rise buildings in midtown Manhattan, even long after most workers had left for the day. It would exempt landmarks, such as the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, as well as the city’s brightest nighttime tourist draw, Times Square.

Richards said he was inspired in part by a trip to Paris last year. The City of Light has had office and shop buildings turning off their lights at night for the past couple of years. And if Paris can do it, he said, New York City can, too. “We should be the world leader for conservation,” he said. At a hearing on the measure last month, critics raised issues of safety, and whether the law would just add more onerous regulations for building owners and the potential for fines. The Daily News of New York was even stronger in an editorial headlined: “We’ll not go gentle: Keep New York City’s nighttime skyline bright and beautiful.” It went on to say Richards “means well, much as those who would have us ration the paint and canvas wasted in the production of museum masterpieces might mean well” but that turning off the lights would “cast a permanent pall over one of America’s most beautiful sights.” Hardly, said Scott Kardel, managing director of the Tucson, Arizona-based International Dark-Sky Association, which advocates against light pollution. “No one’s talking about plunging people into darkness and chaos like you get when there’s a major disaster,” Kardel said. “It’s really just dialing it back when there’s an opportunity to do that. It’s not going to

change significantly the ambiance at street level.” Bird lovers say lowering the light level would also help migrating species, many of which fly through the night and can become confused and disoriented by bright city lights. “It would be a wonderful message from New York City to do this,” said Susan Elbin, director of conservation and science for New York City Audubon. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced last month that state buildings would turn off non-essential lights from 11 p.m. to dawn through the spring and fall, peak bird migration times. Utility company Consolidated Edison said it was reviewing the proposal. Richards said he would be talking to stakeholders like building owners and the New York Police Department. There is no timetable for any legislation to come up for a vote. If it does make it in law, it can’t come soon enough for Joseph Rosen, a 74-yearold retired music store owner who lives at the corner of 56th Street and Broadway and says light streaming in from a sign on a building several blocks away is a nightly annoyance. “It lights up the inside of our house like daylight,” he said.

MAY 21-27,2015

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Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Real Estate Sales Neighborhd

Address

Price

Battery Park City

380 Rector Place

Battery Park City

Bed Bath Agent

Financial District

88 Greenwich St.

$1,138,000.00 1

1

Douglas Elliman

$1,125,000.00

Financial District

20 Pine St.

$770,000.00

10 Little W St.

$5,445,000.00

Financial District

55 Wall St.

$917,000.00

1

1

Douglas Elliman

Battery Park City

333 Rector Place

$3,675,000.00 3

Compass

Financial District

88 Greenwich St.

$1,175,000.00 1

1

Douglas Elliman

Battery Park City

225 Rector Place

$655,000.00 0.5 1

Town Residential

Financial District

75 Wall St.

$1,720,000.00 2

2

Halstead Property

Battery Park City

2 South End Ave.

$470,000.00 1

1

Brown Harris Stevens

Financial District

15 William St.

$1,680,112.00 1

2

Douglas Elliman

Battery Park City

280 Rector Place

$485,000.00 1

1

Ccg Real Estate Brokerage

Financial District

15 William St.

$1,157,750.00 1

1

Douglas Elliman

Chelsea

133 W 14 St.

$3,200,000.00

Flatiron

874 Broadway

$1,137,000.00

Chelsea

212 W 18 St.

$13,725,000.00 3

Flatiron

30 E 22 St.

$381,500.00

0

1

New Bedford Management

Chelsea

143 W 22 St.

$1,325,000.00

Flatiron

7 E 14 St.

$800,000.00 1

1

Halstead Property

Chelsea

140 W 22 St.

$850,000.00 0

Flatiron

8 W 19 St.

$8,500,000.00

Chelsea

146 W 16 St.

$600,000.00

Flatiron

254 Park Ave. South

$870,603.00

0

1

Douglas Elliman

Chelsea

201 W 16 St.

$475,000.00 0

1

Douglas Elliman

Flatiron

5 E 22 St.

$1,150,000.00 1

1

Newell And Assoc.

Chelsea

251 W 19 St.

$1,775,000.00 1

1

Elegran

Flatiron

69 5 Ave.

$1,075,000.00

Chelsea

151 W 21 St.

$2,560,000.00 2

2

Elegran

Fulton/Seaport

264 Water St.

$1,145,531.00 1

1

The Marketing Directors

Chelsea

144 W 18 St.

$5,600,000.00

Gramercy Park

235 E 22 St.

$380,000.00

Chinatown

50 Bayard St.

$202,800.00

Gramercy Park

310 E 23 St.

$525,000.00 0

1

Town Residential

E Village

211 E 3 St.

$1,850,000.00 3

1

Town Residential

Gramercy Park

4 Lexington Ave.

$1,650,000.00

E Village

70 E 10 St.

$1,200,000.00 1

1

Douglas Elliman

Gramercy Park

340 E 23Rd St.

$2,411,500.00

E Village

400 E 14 St.

$1,225,000.00 2

2

Nestseekers

E Village

333 E 14 St.

$480,000.00 0

1

Douglas Elliman

E Village

59 4 Ave.

$1,995,000.00 2

2

Douglas Elliman

2

3

1

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Douglas Elliman

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St.Easy.com is New York’s most accurate and comprehensive real estate website, providing consumers detailed sales and rental information and the tools to manage that information to make educated decisions. The site has become the reference site for consumers, real estate professionals and the media and has been widely credited with bringing transparency to one of the world’s most important real estate markets.

18

MAY 21-27,2015

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

THE TIES BETWEEN CAMP ENROLLMENT AND THE ECONOMY CAMP BY THE AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION

Economically speaking, 2014 felt a little better across the nation. The Dow was up a bit, the jobs reports were somewhat positive, and people seemed to be spending money. The same story holds true for

the camp economy. Overall, enrollment is continuing on an upward trend. Across the board, the majority of camps reported enrollment numbers that were at least maintaining the same levels they had in 2013, and, in many cases, increasing. In total, 276 camps responded to the Fall 2014 Enrollment and Staff Recruitment Survey.

Total camper enrollment is trending upward beyond the low reported in 2009. Seventynine percent of camps reported their total enrollment for 2014 was the same or higher than the previous year. While this upward trend is great news for the industry as a whole, it is important to remember that one out of every ďŹ ve camps reported lower enrollment in 2014.

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SigniďŹ cant differences existed across camp affiliation categories. In 2014, for example, 72 percent of agency-affiliated camps reported higher enrollment compared to 2013, while 32 percent of religiously affiliated camps reported lower enrollment. Enrollment trends by gender were similar for both boys and girls, and the percentage of camps with lower enrollment of boys or girls has steadily decreased each year. The number of camps reporting their enrollment was about the same as the previous year has remained relatively stable. There were some signiďŹ cant differences in enrollment for boys across camp affiliation in 2014. Surveywide, 11 percent of camps had lower enrollment of boys, 46 percent the same, and 43 percent higher. For-profit camps were unique, with 22 percent reporting lower enrollment for boys, 30 percent the same, and 48 percent reporting higher enrollment. Religiously affiliated camps reported the most stable enrollment for

boys with 59 percent of camps having the same enrollment as last year. This year, only 11 percent of camps reported lower enrollment for campers ages nine and younger, 42 percent reported the same, and 47 percent reported higher enrollment. Day camps were surprisingly lower on enrollments for this age group with 23 percent of day camps reporting lower en-

rollment and 26 percent staying the same as 2013. While 51 percent of day camps reported an increase in 2014, the high percentage of lower enrollment coupled with the smaller percentage of camps staying the same is something to keep an eye on, especially considering that day camps are often identified as being a strategy for getting youth involved at a young age.

MAY 21-27,2015

19

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

Immersive Summer Language Programs for Teens Communicate in a new language this summer.

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MAY 21-27,2015

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CAMP OUT THE BEST SUMMER SPORTS CAMPS Camps run June 22 - September 4 Ages 3 to 17 years 16 Sports Camps to choose from!

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Anairis Marmolejos baits her hook before casting into the East River at East 92nd Street and the FDR Drive. Photo: William Mathis.

A LURE: CASTING FOR DINNER IN THE EAST RIVER Despite health risks and the din of traffic, anglers come for the bluefish, bass and other catch BY WILLIAM MATHIS

At the St. Stephen’s Greenmarket, on East 82nd Street, local shoppers flock to the American Seafood tent to buy locally caught fish. But the city’s freshest catch can be had for free only a few blocks away. Just bring your hook, line and sinker. “Personally I like organic stuff, so I prefer fresh fish. I don’t eat farmed fish,� said Walid Zowaal, 52, as he gazed out at his fishing line, which stretched out in the waters of the East River just below 100th Street. He is among the few city dwellers who head to the waters surrounding New York City this time of year to try and reel in bluefish, striped bass and perch. Zawaal lives just a few blocks away on East 102nd Street, but grew up fishing in the Mediterranean Sea in his native Alexandria, Egypt. He moved to New York 20 years ago and took up the pursuit once again. “Some people grow up on the water and it’s a part of them,� he said as he reeled in an empty hook. In flip-flops, corduroy pants and a polyester fishing vest, Zawaal rolled a cigarette and looked out over the water at

Wards Island in the distance. He pondered the potential health risks of eating from New York City’s waterways, which contain unsafe levels of chemicals and other toxins. “I have thought about it, but it’s good,â€? he said of the ďŹ sh. “It’s not that bad.â€? Because of the contamination, and occasional sewerage dumps into the river waters, the state Department of Health cautions against eating ďŹ sh from city waters. The DOH says males over 15 can safely eat from one to four meals a month from river waters, bays and kills, depending on the ďŹ sh. But children under the age of 15 and women under 50 are warned to not consume any ďŹ sh from the East River or any other body of water surrounding Manhattan. That didn’t deter the Bronx’s Anairis Marmolejos, 22, from casting into the river on a recent Sunday in search of dinner. “Look at them jumping. You see them?â€? Marmolejos said from the pedestrian pathway at East 92nd Street, where she was spending the afternoon with her boyfriend, Juan Jurado, and her 3-year-old son, Alexander, as traffic on the FDR Drive droned on behind them. When a friend’s father introduced Marmolejos to ďŹ shing a few years ago, at Classon Point in the Bronx, she was smitten.

She dashed to a local K-Mart to buy a pole of her own and has been fishing ever since. She recently started angling with Jurado, who called it a great way to reduce stress in the busy city: “Sometimes it’s better than getting on Facebook, getting on YouTube.â€? The couple want to ďŹ sh from other city spots too. “I heard the Hudson was even better,â€? said Jurado. Marmolejos is aware of the potential health risks of fishing in the city. A few years ago, her ex-husband broke out in a rash all over his body after eating ďŹ sh from Classon Point. He was put on antibiotics. “I think because of pollution,â€? she said with a shrug and another cast. Farther up the promenade, Brandon Torres, 19, waited for a bicyclist to pass before launching a three-pointed treble hook in the water. He was angling for bunkers, an oily ďŹ sh that is inedible for people, but great to use as bait. The youngest ďŹ sherman on the pier, Torres presided over the day’s catch: a pile of 13 bunkers opping around in the shade. He has been an avid fisherman since he was 6. He said he has never experienced any health issues. Striped bass is his favorite. “Striper’s like chicken – it’s like the best meat you could ever eat,â€? he said. “It’s the freshest ďŹ sh in New York City.â€?

MAY 21-27,2015

21

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

YOUR 15 MINUTES

To read about other people who have had their “15 Minutes” go to otdowntown.com/15 minutes

A DENTIST GOES HOLLYWOOD Q&A Upper West Sider Marc Benhuri on his novel being adapted for the screen BY ANGELA BARBUTI

Only speaking basic English when he arrived in New York, Dr. Marc Benhuri went on to become one of the founders of dental implants in America. Benhuri, whose family he said has studied medicine for 20 generations, was the first to immigrate to the States. In 1975, after earning a total of four degrees in both engineering and dentistry, he founded the Benhuri Center for Laser and Implant Dentistry on West 57th Street. When the shah of Iran had a skiing accident, he chose Benhuri as his implant surgeon, and the pair established a friendship. “When I saw how the press, without knowledge or investigating, told so many lies about him, I said, ‘I have to tell the truth because I was inside the palace; I know what happened,’” Benhuri explained. This led to his eight-year labor of love, writing the novel, “Price for Freedom” in the evenings while running his dental practice by day. Based on true events, the story centers around a Jewish family living in Tehran during the Iranian Revolution. It revisits the history of the time, when the shah was overthrown and Ayatollah Khomeini came to power. Filmmaker Kenneth Del Vecchio was so captivated by the book that he turned it into a film starring Paul Sorvino as the shah. It will be premiering at the Hoboken International Film Festival on May 29th.

What did you think when you first arrived in New York? I came to go to Queens College to get an English proficiency certificate. I was totally amazed by all the high-rises. At that time, the tallest building in Tehran was maybe eight floors. When I came here, I wanted to make tea, so they showed me the teabag. I said, “Wow, what an easy way.” We used to boil tea leaves and mix them with water to make the consistency that we wanted.

Top left: Marc Benhuri as a young man; actor Navid Negahban with Benhuri; and Negahban.

Then, a student from Turkey came. He was homesick, so they asked me, since I speak a little Turkish, to make him feel welcome. I took him to the cafeteria, and got two cups of hot water and two teabags. He said, “I don’t want hot water; I want tea.” I explained, and then he said, “This is amazing.” And then he asked, “Where is the sugar?” So I showed him the sugar in the packs. And he got two packs of sugar and threw them in the tea — with the bags! [Laughs]

You are one of the six founders of dental implants. How did you enter into that field? Because my family was all in medicine, like a teenager, I decided to rebel and go into engineering. I went to the University of New Haven which had a really great engineering school. After I got my BS, I got a job at the Atomic Power Commission to write the codes and standards. After three months, I realized the job was not for me ... then I decided to go to dental school at the University of Pittsburgh. The chairman of the department of surgery came to me and said, “You’re the only student accepted with an engineering background. We have a new idea called dental implants, but sometimes it doesn’t work. We are doctors, not engineers. Maybe we have an engineering problem. You want to come and take a look?”

You started your relationship with the shah of Iran after becoming his dentist. In 1976, I came back to New York and opened my practice. Then I went to Columbia University, which didn’t have a research department for dental implants. I talked to the dean and explained that implants were the future of dentistry. He said, “I know, but there aren’t people who know how to do it.” When he saw my credentials, he asked me to be the chairman of the department. Then, the shah of Iran had a ski accident that broke his jaw in Switzerland. The Swiss dentist removed three of his teeth, and told him about the American idea of implants. There were four centers of research – me at

Columbia, Harvard, Pittsburgh and UCLA. So they invited all four of us to see the shah. They didn’t know that I was Iranian because my first name was Marc, the American version of Mordekhai, my Hebrew name. When the shah found out I was Iranian, he was amazed and chose me.

When did you decide to write the book? I got to know the shah really well and he started using me as an outside advisor... . Because I’m a college professor and orator, I bought a tape recorder

and told my story on tape. And I have 186 hours of tape. I have a big mouth. [Laughs] I hired a secretary to transcribe it and that’s how I got my first copy. Fortunately, one of my patients is a famous writer, Ring Lardner Jr.; he’s the one who wrote Mash. He told me that I wrote it like an engineer, and it took me another two-and-a-half years to fix it. Every free moment that I had, I worked on it.

How the movie come about? I got a call from Universal. They said they liked my book and wanted to make a movie.

What they would do was give me $100,000 for a one-year option. After they decided to make the movie, they would give me another $100,000, but after that, I would have no control over the contents … . Then somebody took my book and gave it to this independent producer, Kenneth Del Vecchio, who was looking for a subject about Iran. He said, “I’ll sign a contract with you that you have 100 percent rights. When you approve the screenplay, we’ll start shooting. You can also come as an advisor on the set.” As they were writing

the screenplay, every 20 or 30 pages they would send to me. I would read it, correct it and send it back. In the end, everything was exactly politically 100 percent correct. To learn more about Benhuri’s dental practice, visit: www.implantsnyc. com

Know somebody who deserves their 15 Minutes of fame? Go to otdowntown. com and click on submit a press release or announcement.

22

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

MAY 21-27,2015

Body language can tell you all sorts of things. Like someone is having a stroke.

Know the sudden signs.

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Spot a stroke F.A.S.T.

MAY 21-27,2015

CLASSIFIEDS

ACCOUNTING/FINANCIAL SERVICES LOMTO Federal Credit Union It’s hard to beat our great rates! Deposits federally insured to at least $250K (212)947-3380 ext.3144 ANIMALS & PETS

North Shore Animal League AnimalLeague.org 1-877-4-SAVE-PET Facebook.com/TheAnimalLeague ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLES

Antique, Flea & Farmers Market, East 67 St Market (bet. First & York Ave). Open every Saturday, 6am-5pm, rain or shine. Indoor & Outdoor, Free Admission. Call Bob 718-8975992. Proceeds benefit PS 183. AUCTIONS

NJ & NY Real Estate AuctionsBidding starts May 22 . Nominal Opening Bids from $500 NY: Forest Hills, Walden Roxbury, Highland Mills. NJ: Bernardsville, Long Branch, Brick, Beverly, Stratford, Caldwell. williamsauction.com 800.982.0425 NY Broker: Dean C. Williams Re Lic: 32WI0834875 SULLIVAN COUNTY REAL PROPERTY TAX FORECLOSURE AUCTION- 350+/- Properties June10+11 @10AM. Held at “The Sullivan” Route 17 Exit:109. 800-243-0061 AAR Inc. & HAR Inc. Free brochure: www.NYSAuctions.com

CAMPS/SCHOOLS Alexander Robertson School Independent School for Pre-K through Grade 5, 212-663-2844, 3 West 95th St. www.AlexanderRobertson.com Loyola School 646-346-8132 www.loyolanyc.org admissions@loyolanyc.org River Park Nursery School 212-663-1205, www.river parknurseryschool.com York Preparatory School 212-362-0400 ext 133 www.yorkprep.org admissions@yorkprep.org ENTERTAINMENT

LIPS The Ultimate in Drag Dining & Best Place in NYC to Celebrate Your Birthday! 227 E 56th St., 212-675-7710 www.LipsUSA.com Mohegan Sun Why Drive? For info call Academy: 1-800-442-7272 ext. 2353 - www.academybus.com HEALTH SERVICES

Breathing Techniques for Severe Asthmatics By Appointment 201-640-7501

23

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

HEALTH SERVICES

Carnegie Hill Endoscopy 212-860-6300 www.carnegiehillendo.com

Columbia Doctors of Ophthalmology - Our newest location at 15 West 65th Street (Broadway) is now open. www.ColumbiaEye.org 212.305.9535 High Colonic By Rachel Relieve constipation & bloating 24 yrs exp. 212-317-0467 Lenox Hill Hospital Lenox Hill Orthopaedics (855) 434-1800 www.Lenoxhillhospital.org/ ortho Mount Sinai-Roosevelt Hospital University Medical Practice Associates 212-523-UMPA(8672) www.umpa.com New York Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital www.nyp.org/lowermanhattan NYU Langone Medical Center Introduces the Preston Robert Tisch Center for Men’s Health. 555 Madison Ave bet. 55th & 56th, 646-754-2000 HELP WANTED

$8,000 COMPENSATION. EGG DONORS NEEDED. Women 21-31. Help Couples Become Families using Physicians from the BEST DOCTOR’S LIST. Personalized Care. 100% Confidential. 1-877-9-DONATE; 1-877-936-6283; www.longislandivf.com ATTEND AVIATION COLLEGE– Get FAA approved Aviation Maintenance training. Financial aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. Call AIM for free information 866296-7093 POST 9/11 G.I. BILL® - VETERANS if eligible; Tractor Trailer Training, paid tuition, fees & housing. National Tractor Trailer School, Liverpool/Buffalo, NY (branch) Job placement assistance! Consumer Information @ ntts.edu/programs/disclosures *1-800-2439300 ntts.edu/veterans

LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL ALLSTATE INSURANCE Anthony Pomponio 212-769-2899 125 West 72nd St. 5R, NYC apomponio@allstate.com

MASSAGE

Massage by Melissa (917)620-2787 Therapeutic massage, $75/Hr. Lic., 20+ yrs exp. 917-734-7448 tonydif.massage@gmail.com

MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

Pandora Jewelry Unforgettable Moments 412 W Broadway - Soho, NYC 212-226-3414 Fresh California Organic Walnuts, home grown, hand picked. Reduces the risk of heart disease. One of the best plant source of protein, Omega 3 and E &B vitamins. $12 a pound shelled, $5 a pound in shell, plus shipping. Perry Creek Walnuts 530-503-9705 perrycreekwalnuts.com perrycreekwalnuts@hotmail.com MUSIC

GUITAR LESSONS Quick Results. Acoustic, Electric, Songwriting. NYC Loc. or your home. Get started now! Call Howie Scher at 646-2569676, or email schershot24@ aol.com for rates and hours. REAL ESTATE - RENT

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Resort Services. 1-800-638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com REAL ESTATE - SALE

BANK REPOSSESSED LAND! 20 ACRES - $29,900. Meadows, views, prime upstate NY location! Clear title, paved road, utilities! 888-701-7509 COOPERSTOWN WATERFRONT! 7 acres - $59,900. Beautiful woods, nice views, pristine lake with great fishing! 50% below market! Terms! 888-479-3394 NewYorkLandandlakes.com Lender Ordered Sale! 5 acres $18,900. Nice views, woods, gorgeous country setting! Town rd, Utils,terms avail! Clear title, g’teed Buildable! 888-905-8847 NewYorkLand andLakes.com Spectacular 3 to 22 acre lots with deepwater access- Located in an exclusive development on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Amenities include community pier, boat ramp, paved roads and private sandy beach. May remind you of the Jersey Shore from days long past. Great climate, boating, fishing, clamming and National Seashore beaches nearby. Absolute buy of a lifetime, recent FDIC bank failure makes these 25 lots available at a fraction of their original price. Priced at only $55,000 to $124,000. For info call (757) 442-2171, e-mail: oceanlandtrust@ yahoo.com, pictures on website: http://Wibiti.com/5KQN

Telephone: 212-868-0190 Fax: 212-868-0198 Email: classified2@strausnews.com

POLICY NOTICE: We make every effort to avoid mistakes in your classified ads. Check your ad the first week it runs. The publication will only accept responsibility for the first incorrect insertion. The publication assumes no financial responsibility for errors or omissions. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or re-classify any ad. Contact your sales rep directly for any copy changes. All classified ads are pre-paid. SERVICES OFFERED

Allstate - The Wright Agency Anthony Wright 718 671 8000 Ao65989@allstate.com Auto.home.life.retirement CARMEL Car & Limousine Service To JFK… $52 To Newark… $51 To LaGuardia… $34 1-212-666-6666 Toll Free 1-800-9-Carmel Frank E. Campbell The Funeral Chapel Known for excellence since 1898 - 1076 Madison Ave, at 81st St., 212-288-3500 Hudson Valley Public Relations Optimizing connections. Building reputations. 24 Merrit Ave Millbrook, NY 12545, (845) 702-6226 John Krtil Funeral Home; Yorkville Funeral Service, INC. Independently Owned Since 1885. WE SERVE ALL FAITHS AND COMMUNITIES 212-744-3084

Directory of Business & Services To advertise in this directory Call Susan (212)-868-0190 ext.417 Classified2@strausnews.com

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24

MAY 21-27,2015

Our Town|Downtowner otdowntown.com

CUNY Summer Classes! Register Now!

The most summer courses in New York City at CUNY campuses in all five boroughs.

The most summer courses in NYC at CUNY campuses in all five boroughs. Welcome

Summer Classes Begin

Summer on Campus

Find Courses, Select a Schedule, and Register Now for courses at 18 CUNY colleges in summer sessions of various lengths from May 26 to August 22. • More than 1,750 programs annually at CUNY • FAQ on Summer Programs

Sign up for the summer course you want. Below are the first days of classes at each college. Many colleges have more than one session. May 26 - Brooklyn College May 28 - John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York City College of Technology June 1 - Baruch College, Bronx Community College, The City College of New York, The College of Staten Island, Lehman College, Queens College, Queensborough Community College, York College June 2 - Hunter College, Hostos Community College June 6 - School of Professional Studies June 18 - Bronx Community College, Guttman Community College

Find special offerings and events at each campus.

Kids & Teens test prep to dance and swimming and more in the Bronx. • Music, theater and dance in Brooklyn for children ages 3 to 18. • From

Summer Events Missed Connections, a Group Exhibition of New Works May 24-May 29 Transfer, New Student Orientation May 26 Summer Session Visiting Student Walk-in Application and Registration Day May 26 Student Awards Ceremony May 26

Summer Academic Calendar

www.cuny.edu/summer Find your course at our one-stop-shopping site!

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